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The Large Scale Oil and Gas Comeback and the Exciting Ramifications of Angola’s Growing Downstream Sector (By NJ Ayuk)

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crude oil

In April, Angola produced 1.06 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil, while Nigeria and Algeria both produced 0.999 million bpd

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, July 24, 2023/APO Group/ — 

By NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber (www.EnergyChamber.org).

Angola’s oil and gas industry is making a comeback on a large scale.

Recent deepwater discoveries and fiscal policy improvements have contributed to a significant uptick in investments.

International oil companies (IOCs) are driving multiple exploration and production projects including Kaombo North, the Eastern and Western hubs at Block 15/06 operated by Eni Angola, as well as CLOV Phase 2 and Dalia Phase 3 at Block 17 operated by TotalEnergies.

And earlier this year, Angola surpassed Nigeria as the top oil-producing country in Africa. In April, Angola produced 1.06 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil, while Nigeria and Algeria both produced 0.999 million bpd.

While the outlook for Angola’s upstream industry is more than optimistic, the country’s downstream sector still has some way to go. Currently, Angola’s sole operational refinery is the Luanda Refinery, which has only been able to meet 20% of the country’s demand for refined products.

As a result of this lack of infrastructure, Angola spends over USD1.7 billion annually on oil imports despite vast petroleum reserves totaling approximately 9 billion barrels of oil and 11 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

But even here, the outlook is promising. Angolan President João Lourenço and Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil, and Gas, Diamantino Azevedo have made strengthening the country’s oil and gas refining capacity a priority.

Their objectives are to meet domestic energy demand, reduce oil imports, and maximize the monetization of energy resources for regional and global markets.

These efforts got off to a strong start in 2022, when Angola expanded the Luanda Refinery in cooperation with Italian oil major, Eni, increasing the plant’s daily production to 1,200 metric tonnes per day.

In addition, several new facilities, namely the Cabinda, Soyo, and Lobito refineries, are in the works.

Good News For Angola’s Downstream Sector

While the outlook for Angola’s upstream industry is more than optimistic, the country’s downstream sector still has some way to go

Phase 1 of the Cabinda refinery — a 30,000 bpd crude unit that produces diesel, heavy fuel, jet fuel, and naphtha — is expected to be operational in mid-2024. Cabinda’s capacity will double to 60,000 bpd when the final phase of construction is completed.

As recently as this month, Africa Finance Corporation and African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) announced a USD335 million credit facility for the project, which will cover the first phase of construction. The refinery is being developed by the UK’s Gemcorp Holding Limited (GHL) in partnership with Angola’s national oil company, Sonangol.

The Soyo refinery project is scheduled to be completed in 2025. Angola’s Ministry of Mineral Resources and Petroleum has awarded the tender for the construction of the 100,000-bpd refinery in Soyo to U.S.-based Quanten Consortium Angola LLC. The consortium will design, build, own, and operate the deep-conversion refinery. In addition to the refinery, Quanten will develop a tank farm, marine terminal, and infrastructure there.

Furthermore, a 200,000-bpd refinery in Lobito province is being developed, with services provided by Japanese conglomerate JGC Holdings. Sonangol has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China National Chemical Engineering (CNCEC) for the construction of this refinery. The MoU aims to secure financing for the project and may lead to a contract for construction by the Chinese company. The refinery, expected to be operational by 2026, will have a capacity of producing up to 200,000 bpd.

A New Era for Angola

In 2022, Minister Azevedo said that building refineries and modernizing the existing one would allow Angola to sustain its energy supply and reduce the steep costs associated with energy imports. He and President Lourenço have continued to move the country closer to realizing those benefits — and several others.

Scaling up its refining capacity will enable Angola to maximize the monetization of its energy resources. With new projects like Eni’s Ndungu Early Production Project and TotalEnergies’ CLOV floating production, storage, and offloading unit, Angola aims to trade ready-to-use fuels with Europe, reducing Europe’s reliance on Russian resources.

Further, downstream activities such as marketing and distribution will set the stage for job creation and business opportunities, from running service stations to supplying lubricant oils.

Also important, Angola will be better positioned to meet regional energy demands. As more refineries come online, Angola can utilize such cross-border trade systems as the Central African Pipeline System and the Angola-Zambia pipeline to deliver refined products to other African countries.

Great Leaders Get Great Results

Driving growth in Angola’s downstream sector is only one example of the steps Angola’s government has taken in recent years to strengthen the country’s energy industry.

To attract investment and further encourage production, the Angolan government has implemented extensive reforms, including simplifying control mechanisms, offering fiscal incentives for the development of marginal oil fields, establishing regulations for well abandonment and decommissioning, and enacting the country’s first natural gas law.

The African Energy Chamber sees the efforts by President Lourenço and Minister Azevedo as major wins for Angola that will help ensure ongoing foreign investment, energy security, and economic growth.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber

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Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures (SNH) Joins African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 as Platinum Partner as Cameroon Expands Its Energy Value Chain

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African Energy Chamber

Cameroon’s national hydrocarbons company will use its Platinum Partnership at AEW 2026 to highlight investment across refining, gas development, regional energy cooperation and the wider transformation of the country’s petroleum sector

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, September 25, 2026/APO Group/ –Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures (SNH) will join African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 as a Platinum Partner, placing Cameroon’s national hydrocarbons company at the heart of discussions on how African producers can expand investment, strengthen energy security and build greater value around domestic resources.

 




 
 

Taking place October 12–16 in Cape Town, AEW 2026 will bring together governments, national oil companies, investors and industry leaders from across the continent. For SNH, the partnership comes as Cameroon advances projects extending well beyond conventional upstream activity, from new refining infrastructure and gas development to cross-border energy cooperation.

A major focus is the CSTAR refinery and tank farm project in Kribi, which SNH describes as a strategic component of the transformation of Cameroon’s petroleum sector. The planned refinery will have a capacity of 30,000 barrels per day and is being developed near the Kribi Deep Sea Port. Following board meetings in Dubai in May, SNH said the CSTAR entities reviewed operational and financial priorities and adopted resolutions aimed at implementing the planned infrastructure at the Mboro site, with the company positioning the development as part of efforts to strengthen Cameroon’s petroleum infrastructure and energy sovereignty.

 

Gas development is another area where SNH is pursuing opportunities with regional implications. In February, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea signed a unitization agreement covering the Yoyo-Yolanda transboundary gas field, following years of negotiations. SNH and Equatorial Guinea’s GEPETROL signed the agreement alongside Chevron, which is involved in the project. SNH has described the field as holding an estimated 2.5 trillion cubic feet of gas, with the development concept including two export pipelines and separate processing facilities at Bipaga in Cameroon and Punta Europa in Equatorial Guinea.

SNH represents the kind of African national energy institution that is increasingly important to the continent’s next investment cycle

 

The agreement illustrates the regional dimension of Cameroon’s hydrocarbons strategy, while also highlighting SNH’s role as the state’s implementing arm in energy-sector development. The company’s mandate covers the promotion of the national petroleum and gas domain, negotiation and monitoring of petroleum and gas contracts, commercialization of the state’s hydrocarbons and development of gas projects for power generation, domestic use and exports.

 

At the same time, Cameroon is seeking to reinvigorate its upstream sector. SNH launched a new promotion cycle for nine free blocks in August 2025, spanning the Douala-Kribi-Campo and Rio del Rey basins, with the company reporting in June 2026 that the results of the call for expressions of interest had been published.

 

“SNH represents the kind of African national energy institution that is increasingly important to the continent’s next investment cycle,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “Its role extends from resource promotion and commercialization to major infrastructure and regional gas projects, creating multiple entry points for investors, technology providers and financial partners. As a Platinum Partner, SNH will bring Cameroon’s broader energy ambitions directly to the companies and institutions shaping Africa’s energy future.”

 

With its participation at AEW 2026, SNH will have an opportunity to engage investors across the full hydrocarbons value chain – from exploration and production to refining, gas monetization, logistics and regional cooperation – while positioning Cameroon as a market for projects that can translate its existing resource base into greater domestic and regional value.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

 




 

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VitrA Tiles Introduces “The Code” concept and the New Codes of Design at Cersaie Fair

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VitrA

VitrA Tiles showcased The Code concept and innovations to industry professionals through Material Intelligence approach at Cersaie 2026

BOLOGNA, Italy, September 25, 2026/APO Group/ –VitrA Tiles (www.VitrATiles.com) attended the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings Cersaie 2026, which took place in Bologna, Italy on September 21-25, where it hosted architects, designers, customers, and industry professionals. Designed around the Material Intelligence concept, VitrA Tiles showcased its 2027 collections and innovations.

 




 
 

“Every material has a code. Material Intelligence dechiphers it.” This statement lies at the core of VitrA Tiles’ design approach, where it reinterprets naturally available materials through the combination of research, advanced technology, and design expertise. Adding on the aesthetic and technical potential of nature, VitrA Tiles transforms them into original surfaces to create new inspirations for contemporary architecture.

Three design languages

The Code concept represents three design languages to create Resincode, Geocode, and Metacode collections, which will be available to the visitors of Cersaie at the VitrA Tiles booth.

Resincode inspired by the porous, mineral-rich texture of natural concrete with natural transitions and layered surface effects, lending a minimalist, balanced, and refined surface aesthetic to contemporary interiors. Geocode draws inspiration from Spanish limestone, marble, quartzite, and gneiss, bringing the diverse geological heritage of natural stone to ceramic surfaces through a contemporary interpretation, featuring four distinct surface typologies: Alba, Imperio, Rio, and Merano. Metacode, with three distinct surfaces in gold, iron, and copper tones, brings the subtle tonal transitions and soft reflections of a patinated metal texture to ceramic surfaces, blending industrial character with a refined aesthetic.

New Technologies

At Cersaie 2026, VitrA Tiles also showcased its V-Flex and V-Tone innovations alongside its new collections.

V-Flex, powered by Välinge’s Ceraloc® locking technology, represents a tile installation solution which requires no adhesives. Thanks to its special side profiles, the system allows mechanical tile bonding, promising up to five times faster application, unlike conventional bonded tile applications. It supports precise alignment, even grout lines and a clean, professional finish. Individual tiles can be removed and replaced when needed, offering significant advantages to simplify maintenance and repair processes. It also offers acoustic comfort. V-Flex is recommended for retail stores, store chains, showrooms, offices, hotels, educational facilities and commercial spaces.

Focusing on tonal differences in ceramic manufacturing, V-Tone maintains color consistency and design integrity across different surfaces. The integration of V-Tone technology into VitrA Tiles’ production lines is continuing.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VitrA Tiles.

 

 




 

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Energy Capital & Power (ECP) Establishes United States (U.S.) Base to Drive Energy Investment Across the Americas

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Etu Energias
Energy Capital & Power has established a presence in Houston, strengthening its position as a bridge between international capital and energy opportunities across the Americas
HOUSTON, United States of America, September 25, 2026/APO Group/ –Energy Capital & Power (ECP) (https://EnergyCapitalPower.com) – a leading event organizer and media company in the energy and mining sectors – has established an office in Houston, marking the latest step in its strategy to connect international capital with energy and mining opportunities across the Americas.

 




 
 

This strategic move builds on ECP’s growing network of operators, investors, financial institutions and technology companies in Houston, the world’s energy capital. The new base will strengthen ECP’s ability to connect U.S. capital, expertise and technology with projects and investment opportunities across Africa, South America and the Caribbean.

ECP has built strong relationships in Houston through our events and roadshows over the past five years, and establishing a permanent presence allows us to deepen that engagement

ECP has been hosting industry and investment-focused events in Houston since 2021, including the U.S.-Africa Energy Forum, and has built a growing network across the city’s energy and investment community. Most recently, more than 700 people attended the Venezuela Energy Week Houston Showcase in August 2026, bringing together companies, investors and industry leaders to examine Venezuela’s emerging energy and investment opportunities. The series of engagements has helped establish the city as an important hub for ECP’s global growth strategy.

The Houston base will support ECP’s expanding portfolio across South America and the Caribbean. ECP’s events portfolio includes Venezuela Energy Week, which brings international investors, operators and service companies together around opportunities across Venezuela’s oil, gas, power and infrastructure sectors; and Caribbean Energy Week, which connects governments, investors and developers around investment opportunities across the region’s evolving energy landscape.

“ECP has built strong relationships in Houston through our events and roadshows over the past five years, and establishing a permanent presence allows us to deepen that engagement. As our activities grow in the Americans and Africa, Houston gives us a strategic base from which to connect international opportunities with U.S. capital, technology and expertise,” states James Chester, CEO, ECP.

The Houston presence forms part of ECP’s broader international expansion strategy, complementing its operations in Africa and growing presence in Europe. The company recently established its UK entity in London, reinforcing its ability to deliver world-class energy and mining events in the UK and Europe.

The move also comes as ECP scales its global reach through a series of investment platforms that connect global capital to energy and mining projects. Key platforms include Angola Oil & Gas; MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power; African Mining Week; Libya Energy & Economic Summit; Congo Energy & Investment Forum; and South Sudan Oil & Power. These platforms are complemented by investor forums, licensing-round roadshows and other capital-focused engagements that ECP has hosted since 2016, creating direct channels between governments, project developers, operators and international investors.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

 




 

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